The Irish Slave Trade – The Forgotten “White” Slaves

They came as slaves; vast human cargo transported on tall British ships bound for the Americas. They were shipped by the hundreds of thousands and included men, women, and even the youngest of children.

Whenever they rebelled or even disobeyed an order, they were punished in the harshest ways. Slave owners would hang their human property by their hands and set their hands or feet on fire as one form of punishment. They were burned alive and had their heads placed on pikes in the marketplace as a warning to other captives.

We don’t really need to go through all of the gory details, do we? After all, we know all too well the atrocities of the African slave trade. But, are we talking about African slavery?

King James II and Charles I led a continued effort to enslave the Irish. Britain’s famed Oliver Cromwell furthered this practice of dehumanizing one’s next door neighbor.

The Irish slave trade began when James II sold 30,000 Irish prisoners as slaves to the New World. His Proclamation of 1625 required Irish political prisoners be sent overseas and sold to English settlers in the West Indies. By the mid 1600s, the Irish were the main slaves sold to Antigua and Montserrat. At that time, 70% of the total population of Montserrat were Irish slaves.

Ireland quickly became the biggest source of human livestock for English merchants. The majority of the early slaves to the New World were actually white.

From 1641 to 1652, over 500,000 Irish were killed by the English and another 300,000 were sold as slaves. Ireland’s population fell from about 1,500,000 to 600,000 in one single decade. Families were ripped apart as the British did not allow Irish dads to take their wives and children with them across the Atlantic. This led to a helpless population of homeless women and children. Britain’s solution was to auction them off as well.

During the 1650s, over 100,000 Irish children between the ages of 10 and 14 were taken from their parents and sold as slaves in the West Indies, Virginia and New England. In this decade, 52,000 Irish (mostly women and children) were sold to Barbados and Virginia. Another 30,000 Irish men and women were also transported and sold to the highest bidder. In 1656, Cromwell ordered that 2000 Irish children be taken to Jamaica and sold as slaves to English settlers.

Many people today will avoid calling the Irish slaves what they truly were: Slaves. They’ll come up with terms like “Indentured Servants” to describe what occurred to the Irish. However, in most cases from the 17th and 18th centuries, Irish slaves were nothing more than human cattle.

As an example, the African slave trade was just beginning during this same period. It is well recorded that African slaves, not tainted with the stain of the hated Catholic theology and more expensive to purchase, were often treated far better than their Irish counterparts.

African slaves were very expensive during the late 1600s (50 Sterling). Irish slaves came cheap (no more than 5 Sterling). If a planter whipped or branded or beat an Irish slave to death, it was never a crime. A death was a monetary setback, but far cheaper than killing a more expensive African.

The English masters quickly began breeding the Irish women for both their own personal pleasure and for greater profit. Children of slaves were themselves slaves, which increased the size of the master’s free workforce. Even if an Irish woman somehow obtained her freedom, her kids would remain slaves of her master. Thus, Irish moms, even with this new found emancipation, would seldom abandon their kids and would remain in servitude.

In time, the English thought of a better way to use these women (in many cases, girls as young as 12) to increase their market share: The settlers began to breed Irish women and girls with African men to produce slaves with a distinct complexion. These new “mulatto” slaves brought a higher price than Irish livestock and, likewise, enabled the settlers to save money rather than purchase new African slaves.

This practice of interbreeding Irish females with African men went on for several decades and was so widespread that, in 1681, legislation was passed “forbidding the practice of mating Irish slave women to African slave men for the purpose of producing slaves for sale.” In short, it was stopped only because it interfered with the profits of a large slave transport company.

England continued to ship tens of thousands of Irish slaves for more than a century. Records state that, after the 1798 Irish Rebellion, thousands of Irish slaves were sold to both America and Australia.

There were horrible abuses of both African and Irish captives. One British ship even dumped 1,302 slaves into the Atlantic Ocean so that the crew would have plenty of food to eat.

There is little question that the Irish experienced the horrors of slavery as much (if not more in the 17th Century) as the Africans did. There is, also, very little question that those brown, tanned faces you witness in your travels to the West Indies are very likely a combination of African and Irish ancestry.

In 1839, Britain finally decided on it’s own to end it’s participation in Satan’s highway to hell and stopped transporting slaves. While their decision did not stop pirates from doing what they desired, the new law slowly concluded THIS chapter of nightmarish Irish misery.

But, if anyone, black or white, believes that slavery was only an African experience, then they’ve got it completely wrong.

Irish slavery is a subject worth remembering, not erasing from our memories. But, where are our public (and PRIVATE) schools???? Where are the history books? Why is it so seldom discussed?

Do the memories of hundreds of thousands of Irish victims merit more than a mention from an unknown writer? Or is their story to be one that their English pirates intended: To (unlike the African book) have the Irish story utterly and completely disappear as if it never happened.

None of the Irish victims ever made it back to their homeland to describe their ordeal. These are the lost slaves; the ones that time and biased history books conveniently forgot.

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Whites need to learn the whole truth pertaining to their history. They have become misinformed and perceive themselves solely to be conquers, not realizing that many were once slaves and or introduced to civilization.

this is why i love rasta live wire.they not really white ,the red ruddy mystic amazon turks.the white status is stolen.as the lied an said it means skin color it really means landlord landholder sovereign of the land.so when they take land an have the taken call them white then the taken are telling the invaders that they are the sovereigns in the law.this is how they6 legally maintain theirinvasion after its done ,by saying they are white.we did not call them white slavs but slavs.watch sidney poitier movie -The Long Boat -from the 1960 an watch us civilize the vikings as they come to steal the moors gold.THEY MADE MOVIES OF US RUNNING TO WORLD IN THE 60S,,,, ATLANTIS TO WAS THE MOORISH EMPIRE.THE BLACKPEOPLE CALLED TODAY ARE THE CIVILIZERS OF THIS PLANET WRITTEN OUT OF HIZZZZTORY BY THE UNCIVILIZED AFTER THEY WERE RAISED INTO CIVILIZATION BY THE MOORS.THEY STILL WEAR THE FEZS AS PROOF OF WHAT AN WHERE THEY COME FROM.THEY CALL IT 33 DEGREES FREE MASONRY.WE COME FROM 360 DEGREE MOORS LIKE IMHOTEP.THE FIRST MOORISH FREEMASON WAS ANGELO SOLIMAN ,SEARCH THAT FOR THE SHOCK O YOUR LIFE AN YOU WILL OVERSTAND THAT THERES MUCH MORE HIDDEN THAT WE MUST EXPOSE FOR OUR PEOPLE TO ACKNOWLEDGE.THE EUROPEAN IS ONLY A CUSTODIAN THAT WAS GIVEN PERMISSION BY US TO MAINTAIN WHAT WE SET UP.NOW THEY ARE MAD AN DONT WANT TO GIVE BACK POWER BUT GIVE BLACK POWER TO DISTRACT US FROM SOVEREIGN RIGHTS POWER THAT IS OURS THAT THEY HAVE STOLEN WITH THE FAKEWHITE CREED.THEY ARE WHIGGAMORE WIGHT NOT WHITE.THAT IS THE TRICK .CASTNG SPELLS WITH S-WORDS MISPELLED,SWORDS THAT CUT OFF THE REALITY TRUTH OF US ,JUST US ,,, JUSTICE.NO JUSTICE UNTILL WE GET BACK THE WHOLE NOT PIECES OF OUR LAND ,SOVEREIGNTY,STATUS AN BIRTHRIGHTS.

They are not gentically white. They are from the Tribe of Dan’ the same tribe that Samson came from. In Ireland they were called the Tuath de Danaan= Tribe of Dan over time they tunrt white. The Negroes in America and the Carribbeans, the Latinos, and the Native Americans and Irish are descendants of the Israelites from the bible.

Technically, Tuatha de Danaan means “People of Danu.” Danu was the earth goddess figure of the prehistoric Irish. The Tuatha were later conquered by the people who we consider to be the main genetic stock of the modern Irish. It is true, then, that the Irish come from a slightly different genetic background than, say, the modern British.

We are Celtic and our pigment is known as pale. Our ancestry is known as the Gaels and we are a proud and fierce warrior class of people. Nevertheless we are strong and loving and will stand beside the children of oppressed people the world over. If you are curious about our origens look up the Gaels and you will see our true history.. Happy reading…

Unfortunately my memory is a little hazy on this but I remember reading about it. Apparently the Irish’s genetic origins differ from England and mainland Europe’s who migrated from the east spreading westwards across Europe.

That’s true…. Irish People are “Celtic” & have a different genetic make up than that of Other White Europeans…… Although we as a people were actually the first kings of Europe we we’re a well travelled people who eventually settled in Ireland & Scotland….. hence the connection with the pair! The Celtics we’re/are a proud& culturally rich race of people who spent hundreds of years fighting English oppression. Not only on our own soil but also in the lslands of the caribbean & Bermuda. We are not to be confused as white Europeans….. WE ARE CELTS……… Tiocfaidh ar La….

The Irish also fought the British in the Revolutionary, Civil, and all the U.S. wars as immigrants and as U.S. born offspring of Irish immigrants. The Irish are not afraid to die defending justice and the oppressed and, peculiarly perhaps, often enjoy a brawl.

But now is not about fighting anymore. Now is about consciousness raising. It is about evolution of the higher mind and the flowering of the 1000 petaled lotus flower. As humans we have no limits. We can reach for the heavens and get there. Black and white, yellow and red: All the colors of the rainbow together again. We are one. Believe!

the celts the irish are moors an are of asiatic origin dont sleep,,they are moors the black thorn manifesto by hakim bey is one source of information on the connection with us besides their enslavement.they were forceeto fight i the alamo an again drafted into the civil war. a slave was to expensive to put into the coal mines as the celtshave had to earn a liviing in.isawa picture of 5th ave and 13 street in the olden days .the sign on the bar said no dogs and no irish.early discrimination in nyc like elizabeth jennings being the first woman arrested for not moving to the back of the bus in the 1600s.moorish orthadox church in america is founded by irish people or celts in proper form.irish moss is sea vegatables which is the fountain of youth sought by ponce deleon.rosticrucians from ireland were taught to run govt by ben bey in the 1700s.they are todays masons.blue lodge red lodge like states like flag with stolen fake white nobility creed.moors were expelled from ireland .the code story is st patricks day ,the snakes st patrick got out were the moors not snakes it was us ruling the land which they still call the moors.thatsyour jamaican brothers who were moors and yeah they were from akebulan but they ruled england ireland all that before coming to jamaica.now we are going to find brothers living in the carribean before slavery of the brother in the carribean.we were the saxons an surrounding tribes took the name who conquered us in england area.they were not first in europe.once again the celts are of asiatic origin an all of asiatic origin are your brothers an sisters first on this earth.alexander hamilton had a wife from the carribean who was never a slave she was a queen a carribean queen .the hamilton family of long island can told me that.rueban ,winky an bobby hamilton ,the legendary professor.moore is the 20th most common name in ireland.remember the tv show the ghost and mr muir,common name in england to among all ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,.no it is not a slave name but a slav name ,yeah overstand what im saying.thats your name first taken and given back to you.old irish moors are o morhda meaning stately an noble.they didnt have last names before the 11th century.carnegie is the bloodline of william the conqueror from the word carnage.motto on coat of arms being dread god,,www.houseofnames.com,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,irish hung negroes in nyc 1863 draft riots after being forced to fight in civil war being to poor to buy their way out which war organizers knew was the case making them slaves after being forced to fight in the alamo.oirish an italian slavswere bought to new smyrna beach an overseen by georgia moor swho were as mean as any european overseer.moors had these irish as slaves in the south before they lost the land.bought here to terra incognito by europeans as slaves.bought by moors already on the land.slowly freed from indentured servitude by whiggamores.reality comes to the surface an we had them as slaves longer than them us.we taught an raised our slavs but the slaves were reduced cause they were of the highest form of knowledge an that had to be replaced along with gods chosen people by the angelo solimon custodians.

English slaves : Convicts, Prostitutes ,Vagrants, Children [ The word Kidnapper ie Kid-Napper ; comes from the men (called “spirits) who use to steal children in London and Bristol in order to sell them as slaves in the new world] and others ( poor children, prostitutes children like in london, kidnapped Adults)

Scottish Slaves : Mainly prisoners sold by Cromwell, Aberdeen was a dangerous town for chilfren, there was a lot of kidnapping down there. Scotland was a hunting grown for slaves like west Africa.

Irish Slaves : Mainly Prisoners sold by Cromwell the butcher like the Scots. Irish were sold as slaves in the new world in order to made space for the English colonists into Ireland (Lands, Properties). They were called the “White-Niggers” in the United States and they went through many riots because of their nationality.

In Barbados they were the “Red-Legs” and they were the poorest they even survived because of the charity of Black slaves. Some white masters even called them “White Trash”….

The White slavery ( called falsely “Indentured Servant” or “servant”) was the capital and economic basement for African slavery ( see Eric Williams and Gabriel Debien). The people who sold white people and gained capital from this business like in Bristol or Liverpool turned to Africa and destroyed that continent with their former experience in selling human beings…

Spanish (Hispaniola) and Portuguese started first…The Portuguese used to send vagrant Portuguese children as slaves in India, in order to accomodate “well” with the climate….African could’nt have any chance against these professional , experienced criminals….Some slave traders sold both Africans and Whites in the new world…

They were whipped, raped, tortured, killed before the black men and women took their place for economics reasons….

There are many books who tell their story :

J A Rogers : Sex and Race Vol II (British west Indies and America)

J A Rogers : Africa’s Gift to America (America)

Eric Williams : Capitalism and Slavery (British West Indies)

Eric Williams : From Colombus To Castro (British West Indies)

Michael Hoffman II : They were white and they were slaves ( Very Informative but this guy is a big racist, he hates black people you can feel it when reading his book….)

Don Jordan and Michael Walsh : White Cargo: The Forgotten History of Britain’s White Slaves in America , This the best book I’ve ever read about white slavery in the New world , very informative.

im irish and white and i have been researching this for a while. i have read british recordsand those of the west indies and irish white slavery certainly did happen we are just in denial because as a nation we are embarressed and would rather forget and deny its existence. Maybe try reading some books

That attitude dosn’t help. He’s ignorant and prefers to stay that way.. My first reply was against him and I didn’t use capitals or commas in my writing. Its not about spelling its about opinion. I don’t agree with him, the opposite in fact, but your reply is uncalled for and makes you know better than him. Using the words eradicate and annihilate not needed. He needs to be educated true but not attacked. Its his problem that he’s ignorant to the truth not yours.

This story of white servitude is hidden and they represent (AT LEAST) 1/2 to 2/3 of the first settlers of the America colony.

They were temporary chattel.

You had the :

– Redemptioners ( specially the Germans who came with all their family but the family members were frequently sold to different masters);

– The Indentured Servants who sold themselves for a better life and a better place to live; they were lured with false promises ie “A land of milk and Honey is waiting for you in the new world”; and London was characterized by high poverty, famine and was “infested” with plagues…

– The kidnapped people of London, Bristol and Liverpool (Men, Women, Children); It was a Royal policy : POOR RELIEF;

– The poors and vagrants (Men, Women, Children) of the United Kingdom;

– The loose or lewd women (prostitutes);

– The convicts and criminals; who were highly preferred by planters because they were bound for 14 years at least; The child servants were praised for the same reason ( long period of bondage)…Maryland and Virginia were convicts’ states…

– The war prisoners ie Irish and Scottish ( Monmouth Rebels , Covenanters etc); the “Irish slave trade” is hidden into our history books but it’s a reality of the past …

– Apprentices , which was the best form of “bondage” (with the Redemptioners) because they could learn a job;

– Many indentured servants came from Europe (Italy and Greece) as well;

– Seamen impressed in ships ( they were bound to the master’s ship and could whipped in case of mutiny). They were often kidnapped in British Taverns; many case of desertions occurred in the Royal and Continental navies. As Richard Brandon Morris said they were the “last slaves” to be emancipated in 1915…Their hand could be cut off in a case of aggression against the ship’s captain…

It must be said that London ( Liverpool,Bristol) Merchants and British authorities ( Royalty; Mayor etc) were responsible for their temporary enslavement, and made huge profits in selling them to the colonies …

London ( Liverpool , Bristol) Merchants with British Authorities ( specially the Royalty) were also involved in the African slave trade…

When the supply of white servants happened to be insufficient in order to match the labor demand in the colonies, they created the Royal Company of Africa in order to import (kidnap) more Africans…

When you have a look at the first census in the American colonies , white servants or temporary slaves, outnumbered African slaves in all the British colonies ( America and West Indies).

The African slave trade and the possession of black slaves happened to be more profitable to the former servants traders/drivers and to the former servants masters in the colonies. This is why, we African or afro descendants suffered so much..

Planters were really harsh on them : many servants deaths were due to maltreatment…

After the American Revolution, British turned to Australia , as a convict colony. The Jails ships in London ( called “HULKS” were overcrowded).

When the African slave trade has been abolished, they turned to Asia for the “Pig” Trade or Coolie Trade, ( China and India). The same suffering, the same maltreatments, the same riots ( in the plantations and the slave ships)….

Only the European poor and the middle class went to the new world , the richest stayed in Europe.

Many white servants and black slaves married together because they suffered the same pains and maltreatments. Many white servants were involved in slave riots like in the New York Plot ( see Pr Richard Brandon Morris and Pr Abbott Emerson Smith), and some even fled to the Indians with their black brethren.

They suffered the “middle passage” as well, because they died like flies in the ships who brought them to the colonies, they were packed like “herring”….

With the time, white servants became overseers, and hatred was installed between the two communities, by the planters who divided them in order to ruled them…Some white servants were used in the militia in order to defend the colony from French and Spanish , but also to kill Indians or suppress slaves insurrections.

The “Divide and Rule” technique was used against the Indians (first slaves in America) in order to get allies and slaves. Europeans would give guns to their Indian allies in order to enslave other Indians. They used this technique in Canada, North America, South America ( Mexico) , the West Indies (Cuba) and in Africa as well… But the Indians slaves in North America died like flies, and could flee easily because after all it was their country.

Europeans kidnapped Indians , or caused wars between Indians tribes in order to response to their labor demand.

The American used the race card in order to ally with the white servants (or former servants), even if they really despised them , by calling them names : “White Trash”; “Redneck”; “Hillbillies”; “White niggers” etc.

It’s must be said that white servant preceded the black slave into the South plantations.

And the system which was imposed to them ( punishment, tortures, rapes, separation of families etc) was ready to absorb the black Africans slaves ( See Pr Ulrich B Phillips).

It was really “A NASTY” period for poor whites and anything colored ( Blacks, Indians etc).

The European rich class caused a lot of suffering to these people , even if they were white like them ….

Nothing better could happened to blacks, Chinese or Indians who were bound to that same class !!!

The seeds and the framework of their suffering can be found in the story of the white “slaves” who peopled American and West Indies colonies.

The racial card and segregation was played against them, and the white colonists had any mercy for them : Burned alive, Emasculation; Cutting the limbs; Extreme cases of torture …

This is stories they won’t tell you at scholl , or in Hollywood movies. In order to know a little research process is compulsory…

That is the truth Nehesey suffering of The Many Peoples from the evil few who carefully planned and implemented inequity inequality injustice robbery poverty endenture conscription slavery wars plagues and genocides they were some of the many prongs of the same divils who still want to divide and conquer
THEY WILL NOT KILL THE SOUL OF HUMANITY THAT IS SACRED !

We should All commemorate the crimes against All of our peoples publicly and protest against what is happening today in the world it can be sad to think that things like this still go on because of corporate greed , Wehave to really look at how we support these slavedrivers without knowing it by buying products from them!

Thanks. I’m Irish. I’m glad I’m not the only one who knows this history. Strange how nothing about Irish slavery is mentioned in the history books. Maybe it’s because the British Protestants wrote those books.
I knew there was a reason for the great affinity between the Irish and the Jamaicans–you are Irish.
Even my mother, an immigrant and very elderly now, recognizes the “Lilt of Irish laughter” in her Jamaican aides (she calls the her nurses) and constantly tells them “You’re so Irish looking!”

i do belive, as part irish blooded white man. That we as a nation of irish men, women, and child should take a stand, and make a day of remebrence for our fallin fellow irish people. they say that we should feel sorry for the african americans who were slaves, however they where never treated as horrable as the irish. so from this day forward i will make it noted that there will be a day of remebrence for the fallin irish. and to all those who agree with me please please help me set this to be far to all of the irish people you can send me an email at these_5_down_fan@yahoo.com please help a fellow irish men make it fair to all of us and make a day of remebrance thank u

Growing up in America and being told to never admit we were Irish or we would be treated like the blacks. I hope more African American people read this and STOP BEING RACIST against white looking people because of our skin. We were brought up in my family NEVER to be racist and NEVER to hate anyone. However its obvious living in America I am hated by people of color for the color of my skin and eyes–my family NEVER EVER enslaved you–we were ALSO slaves. You can not tell an Irish person by last name only, lots of our names were turned into English names to avoid being treated WORSE than the Africans were treated. There is still a sign in a local restaurant that reads ‘Help wanted, Irish Need Not Apply”. The business owner thinks its a funny old time sign, worthy of decor. Not.

1. Irish people are white.
2. Irish people have white skin privilege in this society.
3. All whites are able to change their surnames to transcend their ethnicity.
4. No white people ever admit to oppressing Africans.
5. White expectations of love from victims of white supremacy will make sense when all white racist social structures and systems are destroyed

I truly never met an African or an African-American who really hated a Europeans or European descendants. It is not in our nature to hate. But we will not fail to condemn evil and impunity. The consequences of the British led European model of develoment was complete tragedy for mankind. For one step of achievement 10,000 would have to die needlessly. We will always denounce evil and evil doers. If these types fall more within the pale skin tribe of the world today, then shared history or not, we must speak up against perpetrators of wickness and their beneficiaries.

This Discussion of souls that want justice, is normal and Is healthy all of us make humanity and what we add to this discussion will be emotionally charged, though it is beginning to get us into politically complex situation let love shine on where the shared memory of suffering this should remind us not to make others suffer to understand we all have red blood so it is understandable that we can hurt each other with our words, Peace and understanding to all who hear this!

. “It is not in our nature to hate.”—Jahdey
My response: Bull!!! … and you’re hating in this very post!—“…shared history or not.”
——————-
“But we will not fail to condemn evil and impunity”—Jahdey
My Respone: Impunity?
——————-

This has been an amazing discovery for me and a story that I have been shocked about. However, knowing the way the British have treated many nationalties over the past few centuries I guess I shouldn’t be so surprised. I’m really interested in researching this in more detail and would appreciate any advice or further links that anyone visiting Rasta Livewire may have.

The James being refered to is most likely,James the First, King of England and Scotland, the son of Mary,Queen of Scots, and Henry, Lord Darnley.James became king of England on the death of his cousin,Queen Elizabeth 1,daughter of Henry the Eigth and Anne Boleyn.
Very little is taught on this subject in school.What ever I learned about it was from books in the library or in documentaries.It should be required reading,especially at junior high and high school levelThere is a lot of history that is not taught in schools, even events in European history. I do think that we all must work together to help each other, whether we are black, white,aisian or whatever.

PREACAIN WOULD LIKE TO PUBICALLY THANK RASTA LIVEWIRE FOR THE LOVE AND RESPECT FOR THE WORLD IN WRITING AN UN FARMILIAR HISTORY i WOULD LIKE TO GIVE THANKS TO MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS
PREACAIN NOW INVITES HIS FRIENDS ON RASTALIVEWIRE TO VISIT HIS YOUTUBE

I am an African American and I do not hate Irish people. However, I never heard of this story and it needs to be in the history books.I could never understand why Whites hate red heads ( I know all Irish peole don’t have red hair). When I see a red head, I see a white person with red hair ;however, other whites associate it with indentures servants.

I am Irish and I knew about Irish slaves already. I’m also glad to see that there are others who are aware of it. Schools teach false history (think of the word HIS-story; it’s just that.) I think it its important that we teach this to our children. I will certainly ensure my children know about this when they are older. I think some Irish are/will be ashamed of this part of their history (ie. earlier post by Ash). But what we SHOULD be ashamed of is how Irish people assimilated into the Anglo-Saxon Protestant White America of the 19th century and joined in with the oppression of African Americans to ensure their survival. (Google ‘How the Irish became white’. )I am deeply disappointed in this fact of American Irish history.
I hate it when I see an Irish person today being racist, when they have no clue about the possible suffering their ancestors endured.
Overall though, we need to stop all the hatred based on skin colour and remember we are all Earthlings. Peace.